Trump, Zelensky and Macron meet – Notre-Dame ceremoniously reopened

Notre-Dame was in flames in April 2019, and now the Paris cathedral has been ceremoniously reopened after five years of reconstruction: The doors of the newly restored Gothic building opened on Saturday evening after Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich passed the crosier three times according to the Catholic rite had knocked on the main portal. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed numerous heads of state and government to the celebration in Notre-Dame.

Because of the bad weather, the opening ceremony was moved entirely inside the cathedral. There, Macron told the approximately 2,500 guests that the restoration of the church within five years had proven what France was capable of. “We have rediscovered what great nations are capable of: doing the impossible,” he said. “This cathedral is a happy symbol of what a nation can be and what the world should be,” he added.

Macron had previously received US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – and organized a photo opportunity with both of them in the courtyard of the Elysée.

Macron thanked everyone who contributed to the restoration of the cathedral: “I express France’s gratitude to them before we return the cathedral to its religious purpose, to Catholics, to Paris and to the whole world.”

In a message of greeting, Pope Francis reiterated the position of the Paris diocese, which had insisted that entry to the cathedral remain free. “Their gates will be wide open,” Francis wrote. He trusts that “everyone will be welcomed with open arms and free of charge, like brothers and sisters.”

The guests gave minutes of applause to the firefighters who took part in the ceremony in uniform and to the craftsmen who were involved in the restoration. A huge “Merci” (thank you) was projected onto the cathedral’s facade in the dark.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was among the approximately 40 heads of state and government who took part in the celebration. He called the reopening of the cathedral a “historic moment” and a “moment of joy and hope.” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wrote in French on the X online service: “Congratulations to our French friends on this great reopening.”

Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Polish President Andrzej Duda also attended the ceremony. The royal couple Philippe and Mathilde came from Belgium, heir to the throne Prince William from Great Britain and Prince Albert II from Monaco. US President Joe Biden was represented in Paris by his wife Jill. The high-tech billionaire and Trump confidant Elon Musk was also among the guests.

The archbishop in designer regalia

At the beginning of the service, the archbishop and the other clergy filed down the central aisle, many of them dressed in the new liturgical vestments designed in clear primary colors by the couturier Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. After them, representatives of around a hundred Parisian parishes paraded down the central aisle with flags. For the first time since the fire, the organ sounded again, although it remained intact but had been removed and cleaned.

The church was badly damaged by the fire on April 15, 2019. The entire roof structure burned down and the crossing tower fell burning into the nave. Thanks to generous donations from all over the world totaling 846 million euros, Notre Dame was able to be thoroughly restored within just over five years.

Germany also contributed to the restoration with donations totaling 900,000 euros. The Cologne cathedral builder Peter Füssenich, whose workshop restored four windows of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, was enthusiastic about the reopening. “We are happy that the heart of Paris is beating again,” said Füssenich.

Following the service, the France 2 channel broadcast a concert that had been recorded in front of the cathedral the evening before due to the threat of bad weather. Among others, the pianist Lang Lang and the actress Marion Cotillard performed. US pop star Pharrell Williams sang his hit “Happy” accompanied by a gospel choir. Late in the evening, Macron received the state guests for a dinner at the Elysée, which was also attended by Trump and Zelensky.

Archbishop Ulrich wants to celebrate the first mass in the cathedral on Sunday. Macron and 150 bishops are expected to attend, as well as several hundred people in need, homeless people and people with disabilities.

“It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we’re going to talk about it.”

French President Emmanuel Macron also used the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday to hold political discussions. In the afternoon he first received US President-elect Donald Trump, and was later joined by Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky.

Two individual meetings between Macron and Trump and Zelensky were originally announced. It remained unclear whether Zelensky and Trump would meet for the first time since his victory in the US presidential election. Later on Saturday, however, the Elysée announced that Zelensky would join Macron and Trump for their meeting.

At the start of the meeting, Trump praised his “great relationship” with Macron. Referring to the numerous conflicts around the world, the future US president said: “It seems that the world is going a little crazy right now and we will talk about it.”

During the election campaign, Trump announced that he would end the war before he was sworn in, but without explaining how. There are fears that the future US president will cut aid to Ukraine and Kiev could be forced to recognize territorial losses to Russia. However, after an earlier meeting between Trump and Zelensky, the latter appeared confident.

After meeting Trump again at the Elysée, Zelensky reiterated his call for a “just peace” and security guarantees for his country. “We all want peace. But it is very important for us (…) that peace is fair for all of us,” he explained following the three-way meeting with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. His country also needs “strong security guarantees”.

Zelensky said he had “a good and productive” meeting with Trump and Macron. It must be prevented that Russia “or any other aggressor” could ever attack his country again, said a statement on the website of the Ukrainian presidential office.

For his part, Macron called for “continuing the common commitment to peace and security.” “United States, Ukraine and France. Together on this historic day. Gathered for Notre Dame,” he wrote on X.